This document provides an overview of the differences between Oracle's legacy Application Implementation Method (AIM) and the new Oracle Unified Method (OUM). Key differences include: - OUM has 5 phases compared to AIM's 6 phases. - OUM has 14 processes compared to AIM's 12 processes. - OUM uses a more flexible, curved process spread between phases compared to AIM's straight process spread. - OUM provides standardized phase entry/exit milestones, while AIM did not have consistent checkpoints. - OUM uses a simplified template coding structure of AN, DS, and IM compared to AIM's various complex codes. The document aims

1. Oracle Unified Method
Author: Manoj Sharma
LinkedIn id: http://in.linkedin.com/pub/manoj-sharma/8/70/517
Email id: manojsharma1us@gmail.com
Reviewed by: Industry Experts

2. Purpose of the Document
Oracle legacy implementation methodology called Application Implementation
Method (AIM) is retired by Oracle couple of years back and new method called
Oracle Unified Method (OUM) is introduced. But adoption of OUM is very slow.
An implementer, Consultant OR Business Analyst worked years on understanding
AIM, are assuming their AIM understanding would be wasted and they have to do
a new beginning with OUM, hence such peoples are reluctant to adopt OUM. In
this document we have tried to give simple comparison between AIM and OUM,
so that someone already understands AIM, can quickly understand OUM as well.
Prerequisites
Basic knowledge of Oracle AIM.
Audience
Consultant, Project Managers, Subject Matter Experts (SMEs), Developers &
Business Analysts working/planned to work on Oracle Project Implementations.

3. Introduction to OUM
OUM provides an implementation methodology that is rapid, broadly adaptive,
and business-focused. OUM includes a comprehensive project and program
management framework and materials to support IT implementations of all
scales.
OUM presents an organized, yet flexible, Project Implementation approach. Its
defined, operational framework helps anticipate critical project needs and
dependencies. With OUM, Implementer can move efficiently through the IT
lifecycle to quickly achieve measurable business results.
Oracle recommends using OUM instead of legacy implementation method AIM
(Application Implementation Method).

4. AIM vs OUM Phases
AIM has six implementations phases, where OUM has only five phases:
OUM AIM
Inception Definition
Elaboration Operation Analysis
Construction Solution Design
Transition Build
Production Transition
Production

5. AIM vs OUM Process
AIM was having 12 processes, where OUM has 14 processes:
AIM (12 Processes) OUM (New Processes)
0. Project Management
1. Project Management 1. Business Requirements
2. Business Process architecture 2. Requirements Analysis
3. Business Requirement Mapping 3. Analysis (Overall Project, not just requirement)
4. Business requirement definition 4. Design
5. Application & technical architecture 5. Implementation
6. Module Design & Build 6. Testing
7. Data Conversion 7. Performance Management
8. Documentation 8. Technical Architecture
9. Business System Testing 9. Data Acquisition and Conversion
10. Performance Testing 10. Documentation
11. Organizational Change
11. Adoption & Learning Management
12. Production migration 12. Training
13. Transition
14. Operations and Support

6. OUM vs AIM Process Spread
AIM use to have straight process spread between phases where OUM has curve
based spread of a process in different phases. This curve based spread makes
OUM much more flexible than AIM. Refer underneath comparison of process
spread between phases AIM vs OUM.
AIM vs OUM

7. OUM vs AIM : Phase enter/exit Milestone
AIM
AIM does not provide any structured phase entry/exit milestone check points.
Most of the Implementers were using customize phase enter & exit process based
on their understandings. On many implementations there weren’t any standard
check point followed for phase enter and exit.
OUM
OUM provides an out of box structured phase enter/exit process. In OUM it’s
called Lifecycle Milestones: it occurs at each phase boundaries to assure
objectives of phase are met and ensuring readiness of project to move to next
phase.
There are five Milestones defined in OUM. Their initials are LO, LA, IOC, SP and
SO.
1. LO = Lifecycle Objective
2. LA = Lifecycle Architecture
3. IOC = Initial Operating Capability
4. SP = System Production
5. SO = Sign-off (Complete project sign off)

8. OUM vs AIM Template Codes
AIM has several template codes, which was difficult to follow. Some of the
template codes commonly used in AIM :
 TA – Technical Architecture
 BP - Business Process
 BR – Business Rule
 CV – Conversions
 MD – Extensions, Interface
 TE – Test Execution
OUM has simplified template codification; it has only three template code
 AN –Requirements
 DS - Design & Solution
 IM – Implementation
The interesting part is that there no one to one mapping of AIM to OUM
templates. If someone is looking which template replace AIM- MD070 in OUM,
the answer would be the nearest one is DS.140, but you cannot expect DS.140
content exactly same like MD070. This is true for most of the templates, as there
is no one to one mapping OR quick comparison available between templates. We
recommend doing a fresh start on these templates rather than comparison on
two templates.

9. Summary
Oracle announced to retire AIM on 31-Jan-2011. AIM is a legacy method which is
being replaced by OUM in a couple of iterations. Currently OUM is better in
addressing situations where - next to application implementation - there also is a
custom development effort that goes beyond creating extension on standard
applications, like integration leveraging a SOA, IDM to do a real-time integration
between various applications (Siebel, PeopleSoft and Oracle Ebiz etc)